Leaf-inserter.



B. H. LANCASTER.

LEAF INSERTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1912.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

m w it: W mmu 6 7 1 0 mm 3 Wm WW4 n 1% 51 T W mi M 5? m m H L im 11%.:

Mmmf

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., v,\sHlNGToN, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTGE.

BENJAMIN I-I. LANCASTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LEAF-INSERTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. LAN- oasrma, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leaflnserters, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to devices for inserting loose leaves in loose-leaf ledgers or other forms of loose-leaf binders; and the primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which can be cheaply manufactured and which is adapted for use in connection with binders of varying sizes and having binding-posts which are variously spaced.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved leafinserting device; Fig. 2, an inner face view of the lower plate or member employed; Fig. 3, a section taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4,, a broken section taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. l.

The invention comprises, in its preferred embodiment, a pair of leafclamping plates or members A, A, which are equipped at their rear longitudinal margins with adjustable leaf-inserting fingers A The plates may be formed of sheet aluminum, or other material adapted for the purpose. Each plate is provided, near its rear longitudinal edge, with a slot 1 formed in an out-- wardly-struck embossment 2, which extends parallel with the longitudinal edge of the plate. The embossment 2 forms a guide for the base-portions of the leaf-inserting fingers A Thus, each leaf-inserting finger has its base-portion extending transversely across the embossment 2, and bent, as indicated at 3, to conform to the embossment. The free end-portion 4 of each finger is offset inwardly with respect to the base-portion, so that the portion 4 lies in practically the same plane as the plate A or the plate A, as the case may be. In the extremity of each finger A is a slot 5 producing furcations 6 which are adapted to embrace a binding-post of the binder. Each member A is adjustably secured to the guide afforded by the slot 1 and embossment 2 by means of a screw 7, which has an enlarged head fitting in the channel afforded by the embossment 2, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 21, 1912.

Patented FQb.4 ,1913. Serial No. 698,832.

which has a threaded shank which screws into a perforation 8 with which the base portion of the finger is provided. It will thus be understood that the leaf-inserting fingers A may be adjusted on their guides to bring the slots or recesses 5 of the fingers into alinementor registration with the posts of the binder, thus adapting the device for use in connection with binders having differently spaced binding-posts. WVhere the plates A, A are of considerable length, bridge-pieces 9 (one shown) crossing the slots may be preserved for strengthening purposes.

If desired, the lower plate may have its end-portions provided with upturned lugs 10, which register with notches 11 with which the end-portions of the upper plate are correspondingly provided, so that the plates may be brought readily into registration with each other. This is not a necessary feature, however, and may be omitted. It is preferred to provide the front longi tudinal edge portions of the plates A and A with out-turned flanges 12, which serve as strengthening flanges, and also as handles for withdrawing the plates after insertion of a leaf, or leaves.

In Figs. 1 and 3, are shown leaves 1?) dis posed between the plates A and A and having their post-engaging slots 14 in registration with the slots 5 of the fingers A The insertion of the leaves is effected usually by slightly expanding the binder and forcing the leaves, while clamped or held between the members A and A between the leaves in the binder while the book lies in an open condition, in which action the fingers A serve to stiffen the rear edges of the leaves being inserted.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

\Vhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A looseleaf inserting-device, comprising a pair of members between which a leaf may be placed, and leaf-inserting fingers adjustably connected with said members, whereby the fingers may be adjusted to register with the binding-posts of a binder.

2. A looseleaf inserting-device, comprising a pair of members having longitudinal guides at their rear edge-portions, and fingers adjustably connected with said guides and provided at their free extremities with fur-cations.

3. A leaf-inserting device, comprising a pair of 'plates having their rear edge-portions provided with outwardly-struck enibossnients with longitudinal slots therein, fingers having base-portions shaped to engage said elnbosslnents, and clampingscrews having head-portions housed within said enibossnients.

4:. A leaf-inserting device, comprising a plate having its rear edge-portion provided with an outwardly-struck longitudinal enibossinent having a slot therein, fingers having their base-portions shaped to engage said einbossinents and provided with threaded perforations, and screws received Within the channel formed by the embossinent and having threaded shanks engaging the perforations in the base-portions of said fingers.

5. A loosedeaf inserting-device, comprising a pair of plates having their rear edgeportions equipped with adjustably secured fingers and having their front edges equipped with out-turned flanges.

6. A leaf-inserting device, comprising a pair of plates having their rear edge-portions provided with outwardly-struck longitudinal enibo-ssnients having slots therein, fingers having their base-portions bent to conform to said einbossinents and having their free-end portions inwardly ofiset to lie in the same plane with said plates, said fingers provided with iurcatio-ns adapted to embrace the binding-posts of a binder, and clamping-screws having their headsconfined within the einbossinents of said plates and having their shanks engaging the baseportions of said fingers.

7 In a loose-leai inser'tingdevice, a plate equipped near its rear edge with a guide, and post-embracing fingers adjustably connected with said guide.

BENJAMIN H. LANCASTER.

In the presence of NELLIE B. DEARBORN, OTTILIE C. Avrsus.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

